Monday, 16 May, 2011

Zurich voters quash bid to ban suicide tourism by wide margin

Voters in Zurich rejected on Sunday a proposed ban on “suicide tourism” in the canton. About 78 percent opposed outlawing it to anyone who has not lived in the canton for at least a year. In a separate vote, 85 percent of the 278,000 votes cast yesterday were against a proposed ban on assisted suicide. About 200 people commit assisted suicide each year in Zurich, including many foreign visitors. The practice, considered by most Swiss as an humanitarian act, is legal in Switzerland under legislation dating back to 1941, provided certain conditions are met.  The aid must be provided by a doctor with no vested interest in the death. Assistance can be provided only in a passive way, such as by providing drugs. Active assistance — helping a person to take or administer a product — is prohibited. WRS’s Jo Fahy talks about the issue to University of Zurich Professor Christian Schwarzenegger:

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